Why Privacy Should Be a Priority, Even If You're an Open Book
A counter-argument to the common misconception of: "I have nothing to hide, why should I care about privacy?"
The "nothing to hide" argument is often used to justify invasive surveillance by government agencies and corporations. This argument claims that people who have nothing to hide should have nothing to fear from surveillance, and that only those who engage in illegal or harmful activities should be concerned about their privacy being violated.
And while this argument is inherently flawed, many people keep resorting to it as a way of justifying giving up their privacy.
“Don’t confuse privacy with secrecy. I know what you do in the bathroom, but you still close the door. That’s because you want privacy, not secrecy.”
Privacy is not just about hiding things that are illegal or shameful. It's also about protecting personal information that is sensitive or private, such as medical records, financial information, and personal communications. Even if someone is not doing anything wrong, they still have a right to control who has access to their personal information.
“There's nothing wrong with singing and dancing, yet you do it in private because you don't want to do it in front of others. You may have nothing incriminating to hide, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to hide when you want to sing and dance.”
In other terms, saying that you don’t care about privacy because you have nothing to hide is like saying to the world, "Hey, I don't mind if you check out my browser history, it's not like I have a secret obsession with cat videos or anything!" But the truth is, privacy is like underwear - it's not something you want to show off to everyone, even if you've got nothing to hide. Just because you're not doing anything ‘illegal or shady, doesn't mean you want the whole world knowing your business. Plus, have you seen some of the bizarre ads that pop up based on your browsing history? I don't want to be judged for my really weird 2:00 am search queries, or my curiosity about Spongebob conspiracy theories.
“Most people, for example, probably wouldn’t be okay with unlocking their phone and letting government or corporate agents poke around for a while, just like you’d be a bit creeped out if they showed up at your house and started digging through your stuff. They can’t arrest you for your angsty teen poetry, true, but are you okay with it ending up in a database somewhere or being used to augment your advertising profile?”
You don't have to be concealing a major crime to have secrets, it's a normal thing, you know? There are appropriate situations to share information, and other times when it's perfectly fine to keep things private.
Here are four reasons why you DO have something to hide..
1) Privacy is a fundamental human right:
“Privacy is an inherent human right, and a requirement for maintaining the human condition with dignity and respect.” — Bruce Schneier
Article 12 of the Declaration Of Human Rights:
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home
or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has
the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 8 Provision 1 of the European Convention On Human Rights
Right to respect for private and family life
1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family
life, his home and his correspondence.
So, we all know that privacy is a fundamental human right, right? I mean, come on people, it's in the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights! It's like, right there in black and white, so you know it's serious. And what does it mean? It means that you have the right to control your own personal information, to keep it under lock and key, to guard it like a dragon hoards its treasure. Because let's face it, your personal information is valuable - it's like gold, or Dogecoin, or whatever the hot new cryptocurrency is these days. And just like you wouldn't want someone stealing your gold, you don't want someone stealing your personal information either.
But some people out there think that privacy is something you should sacrifice in the name of security. They're like, "oh, it's no big deal if we collect everyone's personal information, as long as we catch a few bad guys in the process." But here's the thing - you can't just give up your privacy like it's a bag of chips at a party. Once it's gone, it's gone forever. And who knows what those sneaky government agencies and corporations are doing with all that information? Maybe they're using it to create a clone army of your doppelgangers, or to create a personalized Starbucks order for you before you even walk in the door (which is not a good thing by the way). It's a slippery slope, people, and we need to hold on tight to our privacy like we hold on tight to the last slice of pizza. (so many food analogies, maybe I’m just hungry…for justice!)
Did you also know that your right to privacy is a relatively new addition to the human rights club? Yup, it's true. Just like how we had to fight for interracial marriage, divorce, and even the right for women to work, our ancestors also fought for the right to privacy. And guess what? Some countries still haven't got the memo and are still snooping around in people's business. So, if you don't care about privacy, you're basically saying "screw you" to history and all the people who fought for this right. Let's appreciate their hard work and keep the fight going!
2) Your information - Your Gold
Knowledge is of more value than gold — Solomon
Did you know that your personal info is worth more than a bag of gold to companies like Meta and Google? Yep, you heard me right.
They let you upload all your photos, videos, and secrets to their servers for free, but they're not doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. Oh no, they're selling your info to advertising companies faster than you can say "Mississippi". It's like they're running some kind of black market for your personal life, and you didn't even sign up for it! I mean, would you be cool with some random dude on the street asking you a hundred invasive questions about your personal life just so he could sell it to the highest bidder? Yeah, didn't think so. But apparently, it's totally fine when it happens online because people feel safer behind a screen.
So, if you're okay with being treated like a commodity and having your every move tracked and sold to the highest bidder, then keep on scrolling. But if you value your privacy and don't want to be anyone's personal ATM, then it's time to take a stand and protect your info!
Remember: “If It’s free, you’re the product.”
3) Information is Power
“A society in which people can be monitored at all times is a society that breeds conformity and obedience and submission.” — Glenn Greenwald
Mass Surveillance Takes Away Freedom and Breeds Conformity: Imagine living in a world where every move you make, every breath you take, is being watched by some big brother government or corporation. It's like living in a never-ending game of "Simon Says," except Simon is some creepy dude in a suit with access to all your personal info. And don't even get me started on how it crushes individuality and creativity. When you know you're being watched, you're less likely to rock the boat or stand out from the crowd. So, if you're a fan of living in a boring, Orwellian society where everyone wears the same grey jumpsuit, then go ahead and support mass surveillance. But if you're a fan of freedom and being your unique, weird self, then it's time to fight for your right to privacy!
Let’s also not forget the direct power your information holds over you! You might think it's okay for big brother government, sketchy security agencies, or greedy corporations to have your private info. Heck, you might even trust your best buds at Google and Meta. But what happens when some hacker dude in a dark basement gets his grubby little mitts on your sensitive data? Suddenly, your family, your company, and even your spouse are at risk of being targeted. Imagine someone holding your embarrassing photos or saucy chats hostage for ransom.
Speaking of ransom, you know that private life of yours? Yeah, the one with all the juicy gossip and embarrassing secrets? Well, it turns out that it can become a weapon faster than you can delete an embarrassing text to the wrong person! We've all been there, cracking inappropriate jokes and saying things we shouldn't in our group chats with our besties. It's all fun and games until someone takes it out of context and suddenly you're on the receiving end of some serious shade. I mean, I bet I could find something super cringe-worthy that you said to your BFFs that would make your grandma blush. But imagine if that "joke" fell into the hands of someone who wanted to harm you? Yeah, not so funny now, is it? So, next time you're about to spill some tea, think twice about who might be listening in. And remember, loose lips sink ships (and friendships).
4) No Privacy = More Problems
Facebook says, 'Privacy is theft,' because they're selling your lack of privacy to the advertisers who might show up one day. — Jaron Lanier
Picture this: You wake up one day and check your bank account to find out that you’ve been robbed! Someone stole your identity, and now you’re broke. But how did they do it? Well, it turns out that your personal information was leaked because you didn’t care about your privacy. You let anyone and everyone have access to your information without even realizing it. And now you’re paying the price.
But it’s not just identity theft you should be worried about. Advertisements are everywhere these days, and they're getting smarter by the second. They know exactly what you want and when you want it. They manipulate you with their catchy slogans and flashy pictures, and before you know it, you’ve spent all your money on things you don’t even need.
MIT researchers report that just four fairly vague pieces of information — the dates and locations of four purchases — are enough to identify 90 percent of the people in a data set recording three months of credit-card transactions by 1.1 million users.
And don't get us started on discrimination. Did you know that companies use your personal information to determine if you're eligible for a loan or a job? Yeah, that's right. If you have a certain zip code or even a certain name, you might be out of luck.
Throughout the United States, homes in Black neighborhoods are priced around 23 percent less than those in white neighborhoods. That is a difference of nearly $50,000 per home which totals to about $156 billion in lost assets.
And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, there's the filter bubble. You know, that thing where you only see things that confirm your existing beliefs? It's like being stuck in a bubble where you only hear what you want to hear. It's not healthy, man..
—To sum up, privacy is not just about hiding things, it's about having control over how much of yourself you choose to reveal to others and companies looking to profit off of your back. Whether you are an open book or a more private person, your personal information is valuable and should be protected. It's important to be aware of the potential harms of living in a world without privacy and take steps to safeguard your information.
So, next time you think, "I have nothing to hide," think again. You probably do..
See you in our next post, don’t forget to ShieldUp!